Posted: 02/05/06

The Faith of FDR (Part I)

William J. Federer

With the annual celebration of "Presidents Day," it might be interesting to review a President who has been a long-time favorite of liberals, only to find that the Left has gone so far to the left that many of his FDR's quotes are conservative by comparison.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT served as President of the United States for over twelve years, longer than any other President. He won four Presidential Elections, 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944. He was America's leader during the Great Depression and World War II.

Regardless if one agrees or disagrees with his political views, the fact remains he exerted a significant influence on United States history.

It is inevitable that a serious student of history would want to examine the Faith of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The statements in the new book, THE FAITH OF FDR, are taken exclusively from over 3,600 pages of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Public Papers 1933-1945, printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office:

"WE ARE INSPIRED by a faith that goes back to the first chapter of the Book of Genesis: 'God created man in His own image.'"-FDR, Jan. 6, 1942, State of the Union

"I KNEW THAT some day Russia would return to religion for the simple reason that four or five thousand years of recorded history have proven that mankind has always believed in God in spite of the many abortive attempts to exile God."-FDR, Feb. 10, 1940, to the Delegates of the American Youth Congress, Washington, D.C.

"WE FACE ONE of the great choices of history...the continuance of civilization as we know it versus the ultimate destruction of all that we have held dear - religion against godlessness."-FDR, July 19, 1940, accepting Nomination, Democrat Natl. Convention

"DEMOCRACY IS THE birthright of every citizen, the white and the colored; the Protestant, the Catholic, the Jew."-FDR, Nov. 4, 1940, Radio Address, Hyde Park, NY

"THE NAZI WORLD does not recognize any God except Hitler; for the Nazis are as ruthless as the Communists in the denial of God."-FDR, May 27, 1941, Radio Address

"I HOPE THAT you have re-read the Constitution of the United States...Like the Bible, it ought to be read again and again."-FDR, Mar. 9, 1937 Fireside Chat

"THOSE FORCES HATE democracy and Christianity as two phases of the same civilization. They oppose democracy because it is Christian. They oppose Christianity because it preaches democracy."-FDR, Nov. 1, 1940, Address, Brooklyn, NY

"I SAW SEVASTOPOL and Yalta! And I know that there is not room enough on earth for both German militarism and Christian decency."-FDR, Mar. 1, 1945, on  Yalta Conference

"THE WORLD IS too small...for both Hitler and God...The Nazis have now announced their plan for enforcing their...pagan religion all over the world-a plan by which the Holy Bible and the Cross of Mercy would be displaced by Mein Kampf and the swastika."-FDR, Jan. 6, 1942, State of Union

"THIS GREAT WAR effort must be carried through to its victorious conclusion...It shall not be imperiled by the handful of noisy traitors - betrayers of America, betrayers of Christianity itself - would-be dictators who in their hearts and souls have yielded to Hitlerism and would have this Republic do likewise."-FDR, Apr. 28, 1942, Fireside Chat

"THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ever zealous in the cause of human freedom, have watched with sympathetic interest the effort of the Jews to renew in Palestine the ties of their ancient homeland where for centuries it flourished...It gives me great pleasure to send my warm greetings."-FDR, Feb. 6, 1937, to Dr. Wise, United Palestine Appeal

With today's war on terror, I have included in my book, THE FAITH OF FDR, Roosevelt's statements on such topics as:

"Nazi hatred and terror" -"Nazi murder of French hostages" -"Spies, saboteurs" -"We intend to bring this battle to him on his own home grounds" -"No nation can appease the Nazis. No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it." -"There are also American citizens, who, unwittingly, are aiding and abetting the work of these agents" -"Certain things in regard to the defense of the United States should be kept confidential" -"We will accept only a world consecrated to...freedom from terror" -"Oceans no longer figure as greatly in our defense as they have in the past" -"Our enemies have performed a brilliant feat of deception, perfectly timed, executed with great skill" -"I do not think any American has doubt of our ability to administer punishment to the perpetrators" -"We are against those...substituting terror for law."

The challenges the world faces today from global terror are in many ways similar to the global terror faced over sixty years ago, which we won.

By William J. Federer Email: wjfederer@aol.com Click here for bio and archived articles